Valve lifter



March 20, 1934.

J. H. GEHRIG VALVE: LIFTER INVENT-'OR J. H Gelli og E* 2 .um

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 20, A 1934 vALvE Llrrna John H; Gehrig, Modesto, Calif., 'assgnor of onei half` to Albert Burri, Modesto, Calif.` i

r Appiiestion July,` 1, 1933, serial No. 6518,64? 1 claim.` `(o1. zii-86,3)

. This` invention relates` to what is` commonly known` `as valve lifters, for compressing the springsmof.theivalvesof gas engines to advance thesprings along the valves so as to expose the 11,51. spring cup keepers for removal to permit of the removal of the valves from the engine.

` V.The principal object of my invention is to proi vide a tool of this character in which the spring compressing `means is actuated bycompressed 10 air under the control of the operator of the tool,

and so, arranged that the `tool may be easily and efficiently `manipulated with the use of two hands, one of which isiused `to hold the tool and operatethe air controlling means, and theother `15` to initially engage the spring cup supporting mem- ZOsprings may be compressed Without any additional physical Veffort on the part or the operaf tor being necessary.

Another` object is to construct the tool sothat i it may be `used with valve `stems of any length to accommodate the tool to such different conditions.`

A further object isfto provide an air actuated mechanismior the `purpose so arranged that `it type of supporting frame without `any change l being made to the latter. n

` Alfurther object of the invention is tofproduce la simple and inexpensive device and yet one i i 35 which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose `for which` it is designe l These` objects I accomplish by means ofg such "5,01 having a piston 2 slidable therein which may be j of the conventional leather cup orother air holding type. A piston rod 3 depends from the piston and is preferably` pointedon itsouter end to engage the usual axial socket in a valve head.` The ,criA

`without anyinitial adjustment beingnecessary` -may beeasily mounted as a unit on Aa standard rod passes through a packing gland 4 on the low-` er end of the cylinder which is. not necessaryto hold air but irictionallyengages the rod sofas to prevent undue freesliding movement of 'the'. latter.` l i A sleeve 5- surroundsthe lowerportionoffthe cylinder, said sleeve on one side being formed UNITED'STTES PATENTOFFICE L with transversely spaced relatively long wings` or extensions 6. The lower portions of these extensions are adapted to receive the adjacent end of the upper portion of a standard C-irame 7 therebetween, and to be secured thereto by bolts 8 or the like. The wings are preferably connected across the bottom by an integral strip 9, so that a saddle is formed for proper located engagement with the frame. Additional bolts 10 connect the upper portions of the Wings adjacent the cylinder so as to clamp the sleeve iirmly about said cylinder, or said sleeve may be soldered onto `the cylinder.`

` The wings above the frame 7 and near the cylinder also form supporting means for the ends ofthe body 11 of a transversely extending 3way air valve, said valve having a turnable passaged plug therein. One end of the plug projects outwardly of one wing, preferably that one onthe lefthand side of the tool and is attached to an upwardly projecting control arm 13 shaped for engagement with a finger. An air conduit 14 is `connected to the valve body to communicate with the plug passage and leads upwardly alongside thecylinder to a connection therewith adjacent the top.

Another conduit nipple 15 is connected to the opposite sides of the valve body and projects away from the cylinder so that it is'convenient for detachable connection to one end of a compressed air hose 16, which in turnis connected to a sourceof compressed air with which all modern garages` equipped. i

The valve plug passage is arranged relative to andV automotive repair shops are the conduits 14 and 15 so that the plug may be selectively turned to admit air to the cylinder so -that the piston will be advanced, to hold the air inthe` cylinder so that the piston will be held against retraction, and to discharge the airfrom `the cylinder so that the piston can return to its normal position, by proper manipulation of the control arm 13.

In `operation the frame of the tool is grasped at the top with one hand in such a position that the air valve armV may be operated by the thumb of such hand. 'I'he other hand is used to initially guide the conventional spring cup engaging unit 17 of the tool linto place relative to the spring` cup. This unit is mounted on the lower end of the frame 7 in alinement with the rod 3 and as usual can be interchanged with other units so as to fit cups of diierent forms. Since the air cylinder, valve and conduits, and the means for attaching the same to the C-frame form a single unit, the mechanism may be readily mounted on or removed from such framewithout changing the latter or disturbing any part of said unit. The valve and its actuating armv being mounted adjacent the cylinder and adjacent the point to which the frame of the tool is naturally held, the manipulation and control of the operation of the tool is extremely convenient.

It is to be understood that while I have shown the valve-plut,T passage in a certain relation to the handle so that the different valve positions are had with corresponding movements ofthe handle, such relationship may be changedgas the manufacturer may deem advisable to provide the utmost in convenience of operation.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fullls the objects or the invention 2'53 as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail theY l rod connected to the piston and projecting from the lower end of the cylinder, a sleeve about and clamped to the cylinder, spaced wings projecting from the sleeve on one side of the cylinder to re- .ceive the upper end of the frame therebetween,

air passage means connected to the cylinder adjacent the top, a control valve interposed in said passageimeans, said valve being supported by and between said wings above the frame and a control member for the valve connected thereto outwardly of the wings.

Y JOI-IN H. GEHRIG. 

